


Spiderweb Cracks

by PhantomStrangerThanYou



Series: The Problem of Trust. [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: AU: Phase Two, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:33:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5160530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomStrangerThanYou/pseuds/PhantomStrangerThanYou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony snoops in Shield's files and finds something that makes him question his alliance with them and what moral compromises can one make while still claiming to be the good guy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One: Hairline Doubt.

There were places Tony was supposed to be at three in the morning. Engrossed in his latest project in his workshop, drunk or hungover in said workshop, or asleep in his bed. On the top of his list of places he was Not supposed to be was at his kitchen table trying to interpret the sobbing of a Norse god looking for sanctuary.

Pepper brought waffles and coffee as Thor spun a story of Dark Elves and a stone with powers to rival the Tesseract. He explained how said stone, the Aether had possessed his love Jane Foster and eventually claimed the poor woman's life. Tony's mind struggled to grapple with the implications of the inter-realm event called the Convergence and the aims of the man called the Accursed.

“And despite all this, Daddy felt the need to ground you to our humble corner of the universe?” Tony said angry and a little insulted by the implications. 

“Mother talked Father into leniency. I fear that after what happened with Loki, she fears loosing both of her sons.”

“Oh, what happened with Loki?” Tony asked hoping that Asgard had changed their minds about showing Loki mercy.

“He has spiraled into madness, willing to spite any who cross his path. Loki nearly goaded Father into sentencing him to death, taunted Malekith's second when he started a rebellion in the dungeons endangering his life a second time. I sought his help only to receive scorn the first time and he tried my temper to earn himself a beating when I had him questioned for his involvement.”

“So did you guys get anything?” Tony asked, not wanting to think too hard of what that questioning involved. As bad as Loki had been, torture was not a fate Tony wished on anyone.

“There was nothing to obtain.” Thor said looking at his Pop-tart ruefully. “Loki offered help to neither Asgard nor the Dark Elves. Though in my carelessness, Loki was left open to those who would wish him dead, and allow him the opening to make his escape.”

“Any idea where he is, he's not going to come here is he?” Tony asked feeling uneasy. Being thrown out his own window was an experience he did not want to go through again.

“We know not where he is, only that he his wounded severely and thus more dangerous.” The Pop-tart now lay on a plate uneaten. “Asgard is looking carefully for him and may be found already.” Thor tried to assure Tony but he wasn't assured.

“Well Thor, it's not that it hasn't been fun but I need to grab some sleep, Pepper has a room all set up for you.” Tony said with a loud yawn.

“Thank you my friend.” Thor said as he followed Pepper docility.

“Well, don't the two of you look chipper, dare I ask what you two have been up too all night?” Tony said as he saw an exhausted-looking but happy Clint and Natasha walk in. 

Tony envied their ability to bounce back from the invasion, Clint especially while Tony still had nightmares of what he'd seen beyond the portal. And while Tony was hardly the most religious man, he was starting to see H. P. Lovecraft as a prophet these days.

“Again Stark, top secret and your little spy codes won't help you find out.” Natasha replied with a smile that was a sugar-coated threat.

“Thor, what are you doing here?” Clint asked with a chuckle.

“I have fallen out of Father's favor since we last met. The roses you sent to Lady Jane's funeral were most lovely.” Thor said with a wain smile.

“We know how much she meant to you.” Clint said shooting Natasha a look as if they were sharing a secret. “Pity she was taken from us so soon.”

“Yes, it is tragic.” Thor replied thoughtfully.

“Fury's door is always open if you don't have further plans.” Natasha said as she sat down to take a sip of juice to Thor's right.

“Do you have plans Thor?” Clint asked seating himself on the other side of Thor.

“I have no plans.” Thor answered. “Though I would like to spar with you later on tonight.” Clint brightened at the news and helped himself to some fruit.

“Well don't fill up your dance card too much Goldilocks, Steve's flying in tonight with one of his new friends.”

“I look forward too seeing them.” Thor answered cheerfully. It was strange, but Tony was starting to enjoy all of them being together like this and hoped it would never end.


	2. Faulting Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jarvis delivers some jarring and unpleasant news, and relationships are tested.

Seven words by Jarvis was all it took to shatter Tony's good mood. He had emerged from the bathroom and was washing his head when the AI announced that he had found something in Shield’s files that Tony needed to see.

Curious about what kinds of juicy secrets his digital servant had uncovered, Tony had crept to his lab and had told Jarvis to show him. Less than a minute later, Tony was desperately scrambling to find a trashcan to vomit in. 

The cameras panned lovingly over Loki, several wounds exposing muscle and bone upon his limbs, the ragged scraps of a pair of pants as the only clothing he wore. Loki's normally sharp green eyes were hazy and distant. A scientist with frizzled grey hair loomed over him with a bucket made out of heavy black plastic, the thick leaver gloves making it hard for him to carry it properly. Loki's face relaxed as the steaming liquid was poured over him, his eyes closing in delight. The joy o f the moment was short-lived as the same scientist pulled out a probe and pressed into Loki's skin, looking disappointed as skin and muscle gave way to the probe but bone stubbornly refused to.

“What were you expecting to happen mortal?” Loki growled irritably, struggling against bonds that only now had Tony noticed.

“We were hoping for something a little more long-term but, no matter.” Fury said stepping into frame and glowering down at Loki. Loki narrowed his eyes and sneered. “And you can can the tough guy act, we both know that now you are at OUR mercy.” Fury was grinning sadistically.

The video cut out, and Jarvis brought another tape.

Loki was laying uneasily on a bed of sharp shards of volcanic rock. The floor was metal with a grate in the middle of it. Behind Loki some workmen were constructing part of a cage. The walls were thick and metallic, grates running horizontally along them.

“So nice of you to join us.” Natasha said in a slinky one piece bathing suit, drinking deeply from a tall glass of lemonade. Tony could see a light sheen of sweat on her and noticed how bright the light above her was. “Thor told us about your kind, but his information was incomplete. Perhaps there is some useful information you can tell us about them?” Loki's eyes were following the drink closely and he wet his lips before smirking.

“Oh there is no doubt many useful tidbits about my Jotun race I know that Thor does not, but I doubt I can simplify the topics enough for your primitive brains to understand.” Came the venomous hiss.

“Normally, such an attitude would anger me.” Fury said walking onscreen again and glowering down at Loki. Behind them a pair of workmen were carrying several large slabs of bulletproof glass. “But not today. No, today your sass just gives us all the more reason to extend some old fashioned Earth hospitality to you, your highness.” Fury gestured to the prison cell being built around them. “My men should be done with this in a few days, then we can show you all the features of your new home.”

Various biological stats appeared on adjoining screens including heart rate (which remained constantly accelerated), body temperature (went from colder than human to feverish and remained there.) to facial recondition of stress rate. 

“This can't be right.” Tony said as he read a feed that clocked the room temperature F between two hundred and four hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit. 

Another video. Loki lay on the bed of lava rock trying to settle into sleep only for klaxons and other noises sounded through the box with torturous regularity especially when Clint was behind the controls. 

“Here, I brought you a drink,” Clint said setting down a glass of ice. Loki looked at it longingly before he rose from his bed and tried to retrieve the water. The floor steamed and Tony could see the red creeping across Loki's feet until suddenly the slack on his restraints gave and Loki nearly fell to the floor. Loki kept looking forlornly at the glass as the liquid within slowly evaporated leaving Loki once more hungry and thirsty.

Jarvis pointed out the correlation between the temperature spikes and Clint's comings and goings. Tony watched as in the videos Loki started to look real ragged, hair growing past his shoulders and becoming rather unkempt. 

For once Loki wasn't in that giant oven but strapped to a chair, his muscles lees defined and his stomach had become rather convex. A crank-powered generator the size of a briefcase and the trailing wires that told Tony something bad was going to happen sat on the table waiting as Natasha started to turn the crank. 

After a few minutes, Loki narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth as the Nick picked up two rods and rubbed them together as one would sharpen a knife. Sparks flew between them as the rods were pressed against his chest causing Loki to jerk and spasm.

The audio captured Loki's shift from sullen silences and growled threats to reluctant answers. Soon, Loki had slid past bargaining and begging to resigned pleas for death. 

“As if we'd allow you that mercy, monster.” Clint said as he offered ice water to Natasha and Fury. 

“Shut it off Jarvis, I can't take it any more.” Tony said slumping into a chair. He eyed a nearby bottle of liquor but thought better of it; for if he started to drink now, he would not stop.

For months, Loki had been in that oven, subjected to a literal hell on Earth and during that time, the organization reputed to be the greater good had quickly abandoned all ethics in favor of torture. 

The worst part of this whole affair however, was the sight of two people Tony had called friends were the ones eagerly pushing the buttons and adding to the torment. How they delighted in an act that Tony had made clear time and again that should only happen as an absolute last resort. 

What's worse, some of the dialog between the two SHIELD agents suggested that they would readily act like this against any enemies who proved to be harder than a pushover to their demands.

Tony knew what it was like to disregard the consequences for his actions, to say those rules didn't apply to him but all that had changed in Afghanistan. His time spent being tortured as a prisoner, the loss of Yensin and watching people die for his safety had broken and changed him. 

What Shield, what the people he once called friends were doing was just as bad as what Loki had done even if on a much smaller scale. At lest the delusional 'god' had stopped at terrorizing and invasion, except for when he needed an eye and even then the act had been swift and not needlessly painful. Now that Loki appeared to be broken, Tony knew he had two choices; either this could be the chance to drag Thor's little brother back into the light or he would end Loki's life as swiftly as possible.

“Jarvis send me a suit.” Tony called out. Tony knew what he had to do but first he had some former friends to deal with.

“… I never said it was a plane that I was flying.” Tony saw a dark-skinned man standing next to Steve Rogers who looked a little confused, as all eyes turned to him in his Iron Man outfit. Tony guessed that this was Sam Wilson, the friend Steve had made in DC. Wilson seemed rather impressed with his suit and Tony would gladly take the time to show it off later.

“Is something wrong Tony?” Steve asked looking concerned a moment before Tony lifted his arms and used his repulsers on Clint sending him flying about twenty feet. Natasha tensed and started to run to him but Tony was quicker, flying into her and wrapping his hands around her pretty little throat.

“Hey man, what's going on here?” Sam said rushing to Clint's aide. Tony quickly flew between the two while Steve was tensed up, ready to fight him even without his shield.

“Yeah, I'd release him if I were you, I'd hate for one of Cap's friends to get hurt while I deal with these two.” Tony said with a sneer as the faceplate of his suit opened to reveal his face. “Jarvis, could you catch the Captain and his friend up while these two try and give me a good reason not to break their necks. In his hands, Natasha and Clint paled for a moment but quickly regained their defiance.

“After what Loki did to New York, he deserves this and worse.” Natasha spat out angrily. “After all the death he's caused, why should he be shown any sympathy?” 

“Holy shit, is that an oven?” Tony could hear Sam Wilson say, Steve looked horrified.

“D-does Thor know about this?” Steve asked with clenched fists.

“Wouldn't be surprised to find the answer to that question is 'no'. Tony said with a shrug.

“You don't know what it's like to have your freedom taken from you, to be made a slave without will.” Clint pleaded as Tony stalked slowly to a nearby window. 

“No, but I've got a pretty good idea what it's like to be tortured and we've discussed my feelings about that.” Tony replied coldly.

“Do you know what it's like to have nightmares, to be afraid to see your wife and kids.” Clint chocked as Tony's fingers tightened around his throat.

“Yeah, that's why you have been spending an awful lot of time comforting Widow over here.” Tony countered.

“Tony, don't they're not worth it.” Steve called out. Tony noticed with guilt that he looked rather shaken.

“And what do you think we should do let them go?” Tony shot back angrily.

“Going public would get nasty, and it isn't like there's anyone we can report this to.” Sam added though he too was looking disgusted at the two spies.

“Wait, Thor.” Steve said with a resolute nod. “We can have Thor take him back to Asgard.”

“Right back to his luxurious little cell.” Natasha said with a sneer. “We managed to get quite a bit of information from Thor in the wake of the incident in England. He's also banished.”

“Maybe, but I'm willing to bet that he's still able to call home in case Loki shows up.” Tony said reluctantly releasing them. “There's a storage room in the basement, you can wait down there for Thor to return..” Tony said ushering Clint and Natasha to the elevator. “You going to come with us or are you going to stay here with your friend, Steve.

“I think we should all go down and make sure nobody tries anything.” Sam suggested to Steve and Tony.

“That's a good idea. I like the way you think, it's Sam isn't it?” Tony said brightening. “Nice to meet you by the way,”

“It's been interesting.” Sam said with a faint smile. The rest of the journey was in silence and once Clint and Natasha were secured the three made their way to the elevator.

“So, what now?” Sam asked breaking the silence. Tony and Steve glanced at each other.

“We can't let Shield keep Loki.” Steve said “But we don't have anywhere to keep him until Asgard can collect him.”

“I got an idea, a warehouse up north mostly unused though there is some old Shield tech including a Hulk cage.” Tony offered.

“So when do we start?” Sam asked causing Tony to stare at him. “I am an army medic, you might need someone who knows a little more than basic first aide. Besides, I don't think I could live with myself if I just stood by knowing something like this was going on.

“He does have a point Tony.” Steve said looking rather proud of his friends.

“Ah, we were looking for replacement team members. Let's go see if I can find you something in the labs and let's meet back here in an hour.” Tony said, hoping that he'd have more than twelve percent of a plan before they invaded Shield


	3. Bonds Asunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Tony travel to Shield to right a wrong but it seems the base has become ground zero for conflicts and more than one side has jointed the party.

“Third Subbasement, bio research.” Tony said as he, Steve and Sam all entered one of the elevators. Both he and Steve knew the levels of security that the Triskelion had and realized that going in with their clearance was the best way inside. Getting out was still a problem but hopefully Jarvis could get Thor to lend them a hand.

“Access Denied.” The robotic voice of the building's computer replied. 

“Didn't think it was going to be that easy.” Sam said looking out the glass side.

“Jarvis?” Tony asked expectantly.

“On it sir.” Jarvis cheeped, moments later the elevator descending.

“Do you always have this much fun?” Sam asked, readying his gun for when the doors open, well aware that there would be fireworks once they got out.

“No, you should see poker night, that's when things get real crazy.” Steve countered and they shared a laugh.

Halfway down, sirens blared and the stamping of boots was echoing through every floor but Jarvis kept the doors shut and the elevator descending. Overhead a computer informed the building that there was an intruder in the bio research ward.

“Looks like there's going to be quite the party there to greet us.” Sam quipped as they past subbasement one. The sound of gunfire shocked everyone.

“What was that?” Steve said turning to look at Sam and Tony.

“I don't know, but it sounds like someone is trying to beat us to breaking out Loki.” Tony replied.

“Why would they do that and how did they know?” Sam asked confused.

“Jarvis might have missed one of the viruses Shield bogged him down with.” Tony offered not looking happy about the prospect.

The door opened and revealed a bloodbath. Dozens of Agents lay dead and dying on the floor, the walls riddled with bullets. Around the corner there was a loud explosion and they raced to the noise to find a door blown off it's hinges. 

“There!” Tony called pointing to a dark figure going through a nearby doorway. Tony attempted to fly towards it when a button was pushed and a heavy grate descended, slowing his progress. 

Steve and Sam raced to Tony's side and they struggled to lift the grate. In the next room there was the sounds of smashing and grinding. The grate gave way shortly before a second explosion and they raced to the lab.

The windows of Loki's 'oven' had been shattered and his restraints were removed. A man in black armor was lumbering towards a newly blown hole in the wall, Loki slung over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. The light gleamed off of the bare metal of his prosthetic arm adorned with a bright red star.

Tony tried to fly and confront the unknown intruder, but the noise attracted the intruder's attention. He turned to reveal stringy brown hair that fell to his jaw, darkly tinted lenses of sunglasses and a mask that covered the lower part of his mouth. The stranger then threw a grenade above them causing the ceiling to collapse. 

In the confusion, the intruder managed to escape with Loki. Shield agents poured in and pointed their weapons at Tony and company. 

“And might I ask what you and your friend think you are doing here?” Fury asked emerging from the crowd clutching at his injured shoulder and arm.

“The right thing, not just what I can because there isn't anyone to stop me.” Tony sneered back.

“Fury, Sir. There's a situation outside you need to take care of.” Maria Hill's voice called from Fury's radio.

“There's been a jailbreak, and two of my team have turned on Shield, what could possibly be so important?” Fury screeched angrily.

“There's an Asgardian woman leading an army who wished to 'have words' with you about her son.” Hill said sounding nervous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be continued in a future fic, and yes the masked stranger is likely who you think he is.
> 
> Any feedback is welcomed. Thank you for reading and have a good day :)

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for : http://norsekink.livejournal.com/13205.html?thread=34014357#t34014357


End file.
